Twisted Bonds: Rewrite
by DrunkManSquakin
Summary: The answer to two different challenges by dracohalo117. The details and full summary wouln't fit, so I posted them inside. Harem, Twincest, Dark Themes, and Mature Content! No likey? THEN DON'T READ! Slow Updates!
1. Aftermath

**Twisted Bonds**

**Chapter 1: Aftermath**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**Incestuous… unholy… taboo… sick… wrong… …kinky…? **

**These and many other—usually much more colorful—words have often been used to describe the twisted bond that was shared by the "Demon Twins of Konoha", otherwise known as Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Nariko. However wrong it may be, though, no one could really blame them. After all, they were outcasts; turning to the only ones that would accept them, right?**

**Well, that was the common belief of society. However, what no one knew was that the shadows of the forgotten and neglected were converging, and that a chance encounter between two clan heiresses and one who called himself the "Lord of the Pit" would rock the future of Konoha well off of its high horse. Nine years after the Kyuubi's rampage, strange things will start happening and a new, powerful threat will rise from the south. The people of Konoha will soon after pay for their sins, and they will discover what hell feels like when it falls from the sky!**

**The Lord of the Pit and the Mountain Queen… the Queen of the Damned and the Children of the Pit… they will make **_**everyone**_** pay.**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>

**I will say this once; I do not own the anime, manga, artwork, characters or any other elements of the fictional story known as Naruto. The individual who does is one Masashi Kishimoto. The same applies to any and all of the characters and elements that have been or will be "borrowed" from other fictional stories.**

**Said stories include, but may not be limited to Bleach, Yakuza Girl, Rurouni Kenshin, and Kenichi, the Mightiest Disciple. The owners of these stories are Tite Kubo, Masaki Motonaga, Watsuki Nobuhiro, and Matsuena Syun, respectively—in other words, not me.**

**Should any elements and/or characters of any other game, anime, manga, book, movie, or other famous storyline of any kind that has not already been listed be introduced into this story, I do not own them either, unless it is an original element or character that is made perfectly clear to be as such.**

**The story that you are currently reading is completely fan-based and is not, in any way, being written for the sake or hope of profitable compensation. All "original" content, however, is owned by me, unless credit is given to someone else.**

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><p><strong>Content Warnings<strong>

**I will say this once. This Fanfiction is rated Mature due to the following content: Extensive Violence, Descriptive Gore and Dismemberment, Descriptive Sexual Content (Yuri (lesbian) and Het (Heterosexual)) Perverted/Sexual Humor (Including Lesbian), Crude Humor, and Common Use of Vulgar Language.**

**(Said profanity will probably include, but not likely be limited to the words "bastard", "bitch", "fuck", "ass", "shit", "hell", and most, if not all, of their variants. These words, though, will be the most common and will doubtlessly be used by Character and Author, alike. Cases in which these words are used by me **_**will**_** include Rants and Author's Notes! You have been warned!)**

**All this said, you have been given fair warning, and will not be warned again of such content, when it is to occur, due to its bad tendency to distract the reader. In accordance to the rules of the sight, however, said content will not exceed the given limitations of the Mature Rating.**

**Special Warnings**

**I will say this once. The Warnings for this Fanfiction that are unassociated with the Mature rating include the following; Characters that are "Out of Character" (or "OOC"), an Alternate Universe plotline (otherwise referred to as "AU"), the containment of Original Characters (or "OCs"), Character Bashing, a NarutoXHarem main pairing, incestuous content concerning fraternal twins (in this case, also known as "Twincest Het") and regular siblings (also Heterosexual), the "borrowing" of characters and elements from other storylines, and the altercation of characters to MY design (including but not limited to appearance, background, and, in some cases, even gender).**

**The Characters whose genders have been changed are Deidara, Haku (for obvious reasons), Sasuke (whose name has been changed to Shizuka), and Nagato/Pein (the true name has been changed to Nagisa, while the alias has been changed to Itami).**

**Sexual Content Genres (Strictly Lesbian and Heterosexual—no Yaoi or MPreg for you!)**

**Incest (Het), Twincest (Het), Brother/Sister, Lesbian, Impregnation (Het), Inbreeding (Het), Defloration (Het, Vaginal), Missionary, Doggy Style, Cowgirl, Reverse-Cowgirl, Sideways, 69, Voyeurism, Public Sex, Outdoor Sex, Toys, Fingering, Petting, Groping, Rubbing, Licking, Oral Sex/Blowjobs, Cum-Swallowing, Creampie (Vaginal), Orgasm, Kissing, French Kissing, Cooties, Light Bondage, Threesomes/Group Sex, and many-many-nasty-little-things-in-general that were/will be written by a (heterosexual) male author**

**(Hey, at least I'm honest!)**

**This concludes this Fanfic's list of general content warnings. Anyone who has anything against any of the aforementioned elements is highly advised to stop reading now, because you **_**have**_** been warned!**

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><p><strong>The tale now begins…<strong>

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><p>Konohagakure no Sato… The Village Hidden among the Leaves… the closest thing to a utopia for shinobi that currently existed—or what was <em>left<em> of it—was now in shambles. The rampage of Kyuubi no Youko, the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, had decimated the western half of the village and cut its general citizen population down to fifty-two percent. Still, the people persevered; thousands of lives were lost that night, but, even then, the people were victorious!

Due to the last, dying efforts of one man the great demon was defeated. Sadly, though, the Kyuubi could not be killed, so the Yondaime Hokage—Namikaze Minato—gave his life to separate the fox's flesh from its soul and sealed the Bijuu into his twin children. The boy, Naruto, acquired the Yin half of the Kyuubi's Youki, accompanied by the fox's soul, while the flesh and Yang half were placed within his sister, Nariko. Unknown to Minato, however, was that those children were now condemned to a life of hell that would cause them to curse their father's name. The villagers would spit on the dying wish of their hero, blindly seeing the Yondaime's children as demons, themselves, and, in time, the fate of Konohagakure no Sato would find itself dependent upon the very same children that its people had long-since rejected…

In the end, Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage and Yellow Flash of Konoha would learn—the _hard_ way, one might add—that his ultimate sacrifice was also his ultimate sin…

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><p><strong>Three Days after the attack…<strong>

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><p>Yes, it had been three days since the Kyuubi nearly annihilated the village, and the once-retired Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was forced to reclaim his mantle and power. He and the Councils of Konoha were now seated within their courtroom chamber, once again debating the fates of two very familiar blonde infants that were lying in a simple, wooden crib and surrounded by two teams of Konoha's best ANBU. One could say that things were quickly getting redundant…<p>

In his tall podium, the Hokage sat high and mighty, like any leader should. To his left were the members of the Civilian Council, with the Shinobi Council to the right. Finally, the Konoha Village Elders stood in front of the Hokage, with their backs to the children and the ten elite ninja. Being the more important ones within the room, at the moment, their names were Shimura Danzou, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.

Standing in front was Danzou, the old "warhorse" of Konoha. Long ago, his right eye was lost in battle and was now concealed by the over-abundance of bandages that covered the socket and half of his face. While the eye _was_ still missing (having never been replaced by a donor's), the sheer amount of medical tape on him quite frankly made Danzou appear to be hiding more than he really was.

Behind his left side was Koharu, an old, squinty-eyed woman with a high forehead and her hair in a bun. To Danzou's right was a bearded, bristly-haired man with black, square-framed glasses and no mustache—a shaving style that seemed rather common in Hi no Kuni. Needless to say, this man was Homura.

As it stood, these three were the ones squaring off against the Hokage in the debate concerning the "Uzumaki Twins", as they were called, Naruto and Nariko. At first, they wanted the twins turned into weapons, utilizing the Kyuubi's Youki to the fullest that they could achieve. The Shinobi Council, however, shot that idea down, almost unanimously, as the notion was seen as far too dangerous to even try implementing. The only one who ruled in favor of the Elder Council was Uchiha Fugaku, the Uchiha Clan Head and Chief of the Konoha Military Police Department.

With this verdict, Danzou brought forth the very same proposition that had brought the councils to a standstill, twice before, "I must ask, again that the Councils to revisit the option of execution. Surely, by now, you must realize how much of a risk it would be to let them live freely? What would happen to us if they fell into enemy hands or even rebelled on their own? The damage and casualties to the village would be irreparable and could lead to our ultimate destruction!"

A single man on the shinobi council answered the obvious head of the Elders. Aside from his bristly, brown hair, this man's only distinguishing features were his white, high-collared long coat and his black sunglasses. His name was Aburame Shibi, Head of the Aburame Clan.

"The questions you ask are rhetorical and based highly on speculation," said the stoic patriarch, "While you may bring up a decent point, I could simply ask, 'what if they don't?' and you would be in the same position as everyone else; unable to truly counter the point that it is equally possible for them to become heroes and the most powerful ninja ever loyal to our nation as it is for them to become mundane, mid-classed civilians, living out their days in peaceful mediocrity."

"And if word gets out about their status?" asked Homura.

"Then the person or persons responsible for divulging an S-Class village secret to the general populace would be publically executed," the Hokage countered, "all that they own would be confiscated by the village and, should they be a member of the Shinobi Council, their clan would be permanently removed from their status within the Three Councils. You know the law; all of you do. On top of that, why worry that they would rebel unless you intended to give them a reason to do so?"

Needless to say, the points the elderly Kage had brought up were discouraging and very true arguments. Loathe as they were to admit it, Danzou and those on his side couldn't really counter them. Still, after a moment, Haruno Yuri of the Civilian Council decided that it was a good time to join the fray, having supported the Elders' decisions from the start.

"I don't see why we even need to fight over this," she said, "just kill the demons and be done it!"

On the same side of the pink-haired head of real-estate was the matron of the orphanage, Tsubaki. "My thoughts, exactly. Why bother with the risks when we can simply finish what our beloved Yondaime started?"

"Because the Yondaime, himself didn't want us to," another woman answered, slamming a fist on the table. The head of a large merchants' guild and a long-time friend of Tsubaki's, Kurosawa Ibara couldn't keep her disappointment off of her face. "Unlike you, Tsubaki, I actually _did_ my homework on the Shiki Fuujin, and the texts state that the caster summons Shinigami, _himself_, to apply the seal! That's why it required Minato-sama to sacrifice his life as part of its cost. You don't just doubt the prowess of 'our _beloved_ Yondaime'; you doubt the power of a _god_! That's _some_ faith you people are showing."

Hiruzen couldn't help but feel his old heart flutter in joy when one more civilian and three shinobi showed their support at the end of Ibara's small speech. Headmistress Suzume Namida, Shikaku of the Nara Clan, Hiyashi of the Hyuuga Clan and a wall-of-a-man named Jidanbou all voted in favor of letting the children live, seeing that as _more_ than enough reason to come out of their neutrality.

Akimichi Chouza and Yamanaka Inoichi of the Shinobi council were shocked by their childhood friend's decision. Even more so, when he sent a lazy, but heated glare their way, in his frustration with them. Their losses, in Shikaku's eyes, gave them no excuse to take out their pain on a pair of infants.

Alongside the two civilians and three shinobi that were now on Hiruzen's side, Inuzuka Tsume, Aburame Shibi, and Captain-Commander Tenzou stood their ground from the Shinobi Council. Likewise, Takane Megumi, Himura Kenshin, Ukitake Juushiro, and Kyouraku Shunsui of the Civilian Council stood their own.

With the "stand in" Hokage's three votes, that gave them fifteen votes, total, as opposed to thirteen, even as Touji Moriko, another influential merchant, and Sarutobi Asuma tried voting against them. They never expected the stoic Hyuuga not to agree with the logic of the Elder Council, so their attempt at another stalemate was in vein.

Though the dispute towards letting the children live was barely won in their favor, it was more than enough to allow Hiruzen full reign on the matters concerning Naruto and Nariko. With a cleansing sigh, the aged Kage stood before the Three Councils and spoke, "In light of this new verdict, the issue is hereby closed for discussion. Tenzou, Inuzuka Tsume, and Aburame Shibi of the Shinobi Council, Takane Megumi of the Civilian Council, you all stay. Everyone else is dismissed."

One of the Anbu teams also stayed behind as the other escorted the other members of the Three Councils out. As the second unit took up their positions in the outer halls, closing the doors behind them, the first one closed in around the crib, obviously keeping a closer watch, due to the now-smaller number of guardians.

When everyone that didn't belong was out of the chamber (some leaving more reluctantly than others, for varying reasons), Hiruzen addressed the rest of the occupants, hoping to find a decent housing arrangement for the twins.

Soon after, though, Naruto and Nariko began to cry, obviously upset about something. Even as the two women among the Anbu did their best to soothe the children, the wailing didn't stop. Unknown to the people there, something else was the cause behind the crying and it would change the course of the children's lives for many years to come.

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><p>Floating in a black void, a lone, vulpine figure sat on what seemed to be an invisible floor. As she gazed up at something seen only by her, the canine equivalent of a scowl formed upon the great fox's lips. Amusingly enough, the Kyuubi really <em>was<em> female. Despite this, though… and the fact that her true form resembled a demented bunny from hell, this very demoness was, in truth, one of the most feared beings in this mortal plane.

While more infamously known as Kyuubi no Youko, her name was Shoki, and at this moment, she resided within the Mindscape of Uzumaki Naruto. The boy in question, though, was but a mere infant; his mind and personality had yet to truly develop. That said, the same applied to the great demon's surroundings (or lack thereof), merely by extension of this fact.

Heaving an exasperated sigh at what went on in the outside world, Shoki was not the least bit surprised that the old man had to fight so hard to conserve the lives of her current vessels. But, she had to admit that his efforts were admirable, despite his more… questionable actions, as of late. Then, just as she had calmed down, certain that the children (and she) were safe, for the time being, the Kyuubi felt a sudden sense if impending doom. Her eyes widened as a white-garbed specter materialized right in front of her nose.

While the ghostly figure was only a fraction of Shoki's size, the fox's long ears and head timidly drooped in his presence. Sporting long, white hair, purple skin, and jagged features, this apparition was the very being that Minato had summoned to seal the Kyuubi away, the God of Death.

"Shoki of the Nine Bijuu," the higher being greeted, his voice sounding like a thousand more, growling in unison. "I come here with an offer for you."

"Yes, Shinigami-sama?" The fox's reply was uncharacteristically timid, but with good reason. Not even she was foolish enough to be over-confident, when _literally_ sitting in the face of death.

"As you well know, the Hokage is the one responsible for Uzumaki Kushina's flight from Konoha." Seeing Shoki nod, Shinigami continued, "What you don't know is that these twins that have become your vessels are the children of a grand prophecy. The fate of the world, as cliché as that sounds, will one day depend on them, and Hiruzen's actions have put them at risk. While his reasons behind them were noble, I cannot trust him to find a suitable guardian for the children, nor can I allow him to be their main protector."

"…So you want me to be that guardian," Shoki guessed. Receiving a positive answer, she pressed on. "But how? With the Yondaime's contract in place—"

"Already taken care of," the deity replied, "The contract remains, but if you agree to raise Naruto and Nariko as your own, I can still allow you to be reborn after your spirit recovers. Also, all that the deal entails is that I am to help seal you away and that your Youki is to be absorbed by the twins. The boy gets the Yin half of each tail, and the girl gets the Yang, and once the last tail is assimilated, I am to take you straight to hell. There is nothing to say, or even _imply_ that I cannot release you, if I see fit to do so."

"So all I do is raise them until you pick me up?" The fox had her doubts that it would be as simple as it sounded, but she could manage that much.

"Teach them the Ninja Arts, as well," Shinigami said, "They will only gain more enemies as time goes by, so it will be your responsibility to see that they can defend themselves. I will return upon their ninth birthday, should you agree."

Shoki winced. That part made it a bit of a big order to fill, but it wasn't impossible for one such as her—despite the intimidating deadline. Perhaps she could find some suitable godparents, when she reached the end? After a moment of thought, she gave her answer, "I'll do as you say, then."

Shinigami smiled. "Good."

After a brief moment had passed, though, Shoki became curious of the specter's inaction. Beating her to the punch, Shinigami answered the unasked question with a wider, toothy grin. "Hiruzen's actions have both troublesome and beneficial consequences. Because of him, releasing you will now be much simpler; all I need to do now is wait… and give you a little push, once the time comes."

The great fox demon looked at him confusedly, but she dared not doubt the higher being before her.

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><p>Back in the outside world, Rin and Yuugao tried to no avail to calm the still-upset twins as the Hokage and the remaining councilors debated the issue of Naruto and Nariko's housing arrangements. With Tsubaki emotionally compromised, leaving them in her care was out of the question.<p>

Trying his best to concentrate, despite the wailing of the children, Hiruzen spoke, addressing the feral-looking woman next to him. The woman in question was garbed in a standard, green flak jacket, over a sleeveless top, black cargo pants, and black hiking boots. She also had wild, short, brown hair, slit, brown eyes, and red, fang-shaped tattoos on her cheeks.

"Tsume," the old man said, "would your clan be able to take them in?"

"I wish I could give you a good answer," the matriarch sadly said, "but the losses we've suffered have left the whole pack struggling to recover. With the amount of enemies those two _already_ have, The Inuzuka would be in no position to protect them, even_ with_ the help of the Aburame."

"I'm sorry to say that she is right," Shibi added, "our allies in this regard are few. Those who oppose us, however, consist of most of the village, itself."

Hiruzen sighed in frustration. The situation was indeed a grim one, and the cries of the twins weren't helping. Tuning out the increasing volume of the still-upset children, the Hokage addressed a man with brown hair and a demon mask that was seated nearby. "Tenzou, what would you…"

Hiruzen trailed off as an ominous, crimson glow started to radiate from Naruto. A split second after, Nariko was illuminated by the dreadful light, as well. The twins in question only cried louder, as they were engulfed, while everyone else in the room was frozen in shock. Then, with a bright flash and many cries of panic, the room went dark.

Some amount of time later, the aged leader of Konoha groaned as he got up and off of his ass. How he ended up on the ground, he did not know. As Hiruzen straightened his bearings, he noted his new position on the ground level of the bowl-shaped room and the sprawled forms of the Anbu and councilors scattered throughout the chamber. A mass of curious, little fireballs could also be seen floating about and illuminating the room, seemingly aloft of their accord. Then, sensing another presence, the old man snapped his attention to his right… and soon regretted it.

Sitting there, atop the remains of the shattered crib was an orange-haired woman with slit eyes of a similar, but lighter shade. She was garbed only in a black kimono with a white obi and orange-and-white, tribal-looking flame designs decorating the sleeves and hem. Aside from that, she was barefoot and wearing nothing else that was visible to the naked eye. As for the twins, Naruto was cradled in her arms as Nariko lay in her lap, playing with one of her… nine… fox-like… tails…

"KYUUBI!"

A pair of vulpine ears flattened upon Shoki's scalp as the now-scared babies started to cry… again. A single, tangerine eye twitched in irritation as its owner glared at the old man.

"What?"

"What are you doing out of the seal?" Hiruzen demanded, "The Yondaime—"

"…Didn't seem to remember one simple little detail," the fox—no, the _vixen_—interrupted, as she lulled the children to sleep. Then, with a grin, she continued, "when placed upon a living thing, a seal will _always_ derive its power from its bearer's will. Naruto-kun and Nariko-chan simply wanted their mommy, and now, the seals just spat them out a new one."

Watching in amusement, as the Hokage began to sputter, trying hard to find a suitable retort, Shoki pressed on, not feeling generous enough to give him an inch.

"I have you to thank, by the way," she said, "had it not been for you fooling Kushina into thinking that her babies were dead, I wouldn't have been able to escape."

The woman's comments thus far had only amounted to a half-truth, to be honest, but _damn_, the look on the old man's face was priceless!

Taking a moment to compose himself, and another to think about the situation, Hiruzen spoke again, an uneasy thought crossing his mind. "If you wanted to destroy the village," he said, "you would've done it by now." He then eyed the demonic vixen, suspiciously. "Why haven't you? What is everyone in this room still doing alive? I'm sure you'd have no trouble killing those children—"

Suddenly, the air seemed thicker, chilled, and hard to breathe. A strong sense of dread, however, was what had ultimately silenced the Hokage, as it flooded his being. With her tone sickly sweet and a vicious smirk that promised pain, Shoki answered his questions. "Do you honestly think that no children were harmed in my 'rampage' out of _luck_? That my actions were _unprovoked_?" She then barked out a sharp scoff. "Please, I've _always_ had better to do with my time than attacking a village out of boredom; I attacked Konoha, because I was _sent_!"

"Lies!" Hiruzen struggled out, "the Bijuu answer to no one!" When he fell to his knees, the Kyuubi let out a spiteful laugh.

"I wish," Shoki spat, "the truth is, we answer only to the _Gods_! Konoha's standing has gotten to the heads of her people! Consequently, the majority of her military and councils have become arrogant, power-hungry, and _corrupt_! That's why I was sent; to _awaken_ those fools from their delusions of utter supremacy, before they became a threat to this time of peace between the Five Great Nations!"

Hiruzen struggled further as the vixen spoke, but with each passing moment, the sheer malice in the air only thickened.

"As for the children," the Kyuubi finished, "well, apparently, you weren't paying attention the first time I said it. I have a new assignment, now, and what kind of mother would I be if I just killed off my new litter, the moment I met them?"

'_Mother?'_ Hiruzen thought. Then, it clicked; she said that the seals had "spat" out a new one! "I WON'T LET YOU!"

Oddly enough, his shout didn't awaken the twins. Then again, the Kyuubi's wrath obviously hadn't upset them, so that _probably_ wasn't very surprising.

The murderous intent in the atmosphere doubled at the man's words, but the grin on Shoki's face didn't falter. "You are in no position to do anything about it, you glorified _monkey_! Either I raise them in the slums, which is ironically the safest place for them in this god-forsaken cesspit you have the _nerve_ to call a civilization, or I take them to _Iwa_, and by the time your Elder Council figures out what happened and wages war with Tsuchi no Kuni for 'stealing the Yondaime's legacy', the offspring of the Yellow Flash and Black Tide will be fighting on _Oonoki's _side!"

With those last two words, the Kyuubi's wrath seemed to spike, the nigh-tangible malice sending Hiruzen the rest of the way down to the floor, before it completely vanished as quickly as his resounding thud echoed throughout the chamber. Seeing that her point was thoroughly across, Shoki finished with, "the choice is yours, _Professor_."

The Hokage winced at the spiteful use of his old nickname. Not long ago, that very title struck fear into the hearts of many. Now, it was practically an insult; a reminder of the horrible, stupid decisions he'd made, recently. The first was to assign Kakashi to guard Naruto and Nariko, blissfully ignorant of the scarecrow's spite towards the twins. The second was to use that "disguised blessing" to make Kushina think that Kakashi had succeeded in ramming a Chidori through the guts of her children.

Now, even the last of Hiruzen's loyal students had disappeared, all communications cut off. It was quite obvious that Jiraiya and Tsunade had caught wind of their teacher's two-facedness and gone rogue, most likely seeking the last "official" Uzumaki, before she was lost forever to her grief. It was sad, really; not even three full days had passed since Hiruzen's reinstatement, and he had _already_ fucked up half the village.

Getting back to his feet, the old man couldn't bring himself to meet Shoki's gaze. "Fine," he said, "take them to the slums."

The vixen's grin returned. "I knew you'd see it my way. We'll be in touch."

With that, the fox-like ears vanished, a pair of human ones presumably hiding in her hair, as the nine orange tails with black tips retracted into the vixen's rump. Immediately after that, Shoki and the twins seemed just to fade from existence, a taunting chuckle echoing in the demon's wake.

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><p>Later that day, an orange-haired woman was witnessed to be headed towards the slum district, an old-fashioned wicker basket holding a pair of sleeping, blonde infants slung to her back. As Shoki approached the proverbial underbelly of Konoha, she gained the attention of many of its inhabitants. Unknown to these people—many of whom had brushed her off as fresh meat, at the time—this woman was probably the closest thing to a messiah that they would ever have the pleasure of gazing upon, despite how brief her visit was sadly meant to be…<p>

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><p><strong>It is with mixed feelings that I inform you all of the end of this rewritten chapter. While I'm relieved that I'm able to complete it, I must say that I'll miss the fun I had writing it. I can only hope that I enjoy the further chapters just as much.<strong>

**While I kinda did feel bad for removing the comic relief, leaving this new version felling a bit angsty, I felt that the attempted humor killed the severity of the situation. There is a time and place to laugh, after all, and considering what was happening in the Council Chamber, it was my belief that the place for humor was not there. Understandable, yes?**

**To those who are not aware, this story is an answer to both the "Naruto Hates the Yondaime Challenge" and the "Uchiha and Hyuuga; Naruto's Defenders" Story Idea (Which seems to have become a Challenge, as well). Both of these belong to dracohalo117. However, in order to properly blend these ideas together, I have been given permission to change the way in which Naruto learns of his lineage. The same applies to Nariko, for the record, though she's not part of either Challenge.**

**Either way, credit goes to dracohalo117 for the idea, as he was the inspiration behind it. Aside from that, I have yet to come across any well-written Uzumaki Twincest Het Fics, so I figured I'd make this one. The other two girls that Naruto will end up with are probably pretty obvious, but for those who have yet to guess, they will be "officially" revealed in Chapter Two: Convergence within the Shadows.**

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><p><strong>Meanings of deviant Names<strong>

**Itami—(multiple Kanji possibilities) Meanings (in this case): pain, ache, sore, grief, distress, damage or bruise.**

**Nagisa—(real feminine name) Meaning: seashore.**

**Nariko—(real feminine name, multiple Kanji possibilities) Meanings (in this case): nari = gentle, ko = child.**

**Shizuka—(real feminine name, multiple Kanji possibilities) Meaning (in this case): calm or quiet.**

**Shoki—(multiple Kanji possibilities) Meanings (in this case): heat, hot weather, sunstroke, and heatstroke.**

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><p><strong>Trivia: Roles and Identities of the Councilors (Warning: important, but containing mild spoilers!)<strong>

**Interesting fact: in canon, the Civilian and Shinobi Councils of Konohagakure no Sato do not exist as they appear in fanon. These were invented by the fans of the series to justify Naruto's shitty childhood, despite Konoha's apparent status as a military dictatorship. That way, the people could treat him like dirt and someone high up would protect the majority of these people from the Hokage's wrath.**

**Another interesting fact: most of the people who go down the road of actually using these councils seem have a bad general tendency to be too damn lazy to explain what the holy hell these people are actually **_**doing**_** on the damn council. Considering their positions, you'd expect there to be an origin to their influence. At the very least, I'd like to know exactly **_**how the fuck**_** they could use their influence to give Naruto hell, wouldn't you?**

**Well, since the council is part of the "Naruto Hates the Yondaime Challenge" (even if it is a minor one), I figured that I may as well **_**not**_** be a half-ass about it. That said, the roles and identities are listed below.**

_**CIVILIAN COUNCIL: IDENTITIES**_

**Tsubaki and Kurosawa Ibara**

**Tsubaki and Ibara are not OCs. They are actually the two women that were badmouthing Naruto in Episode One of the Naruto anime. Ibara, for the record, was the one wearing a grey, cloth headband, and her reasons for supporting the twins, despite her canon role and friendship with Tsubaki, will become much clearer, eventually.**

**Also, for clarity, there are **_**two**_** characters named Tsubaki, in the Anime, and **_**this**_** Tsubaki is not Mizuki's girlfriend; the **_**other**_** Tsubaki was, and was also a Filler Character that I, quite frankly, don't give a shit about. Yes, I'm a fucking geek. LIVE WITH IT!**

**On a side note, neither of these women had a surname, but I gave one to Ibara, because I damn well **_**felt**_** like it. Kurosawa, for the record, literally means "black swamp" and is a real life Japanese surname that seems to be at least somewhat-common (as far as I can tell).**

**Himura Kenshin and Takane Megumi**

**These two were "borrowed" from the Rurouni Kenshin anime/manga series. Kenshin is the redheaded protagonist of this series and Megumi is a nurse of relatively large significance.**

**Megumi, due to her role in Rurouni Kenshin, seemed to be rather fitting for the role of being the head manager of the hospitals, general pharmaceuticals, and pretty much anything else pertaining to medical care, in Konoha. That said, I made her just that.**

**Jidanbou, Ukitake Juushiro, Kyouraku Shunsui**

**These three were "burrowed" from the anime/manga series known simply as Bleach.**

**Jidanbou is one of the Four Gate Guardians of the Seireitei. He is also the first among them to have his debut. Juushiro and Shunsui are among the Captains of the Gotei Thirteen. As far as further details go, do your own damn homework!**

**Touji Moriko and Haruno Yuri**

**As some people may have noticed, Sakura's mother in Naruto has never had an official debut, despite the fact that we all know she exists. Amusingly, this character, thus far, has never really amounted to being anything but a disembodied voice with a daughter, a **_**presumed**_** surname, no face, and no given name. The name I gave her, Yuri, means "lily" and is a real life Japanese name.**

**Moriko, amusingly, is the only "true" OC on either council. She also shares Mizuki's surname for a reason. As for her name, "mori" means "forest", while "ko" means "child".**

_**SHINOBI COUNCIL: IDENTITIES**_

**Tenzou, for those who don't know, is Yamato's real name, in Naruto.**

**Suzume Namida (Suzume being her surname, for the record) was a Chuunin instructor in the Ninja Academe, in Canon. She was seen in a flashback of Sakura and Ino's childhood.**

**Sarutobi Asuma should be rather obvious, and everyone else in the Shinobi Council is the mother or father of one Gennin or another in the Rookie Nine.**

**The Elder Council should also be obvious. Aside from that, I'll say it again; do your own damn homework!**

_**GENERAL COUNCILOR ROLES**_

**Asuma—Influential Clan Head**

**Chouza—Influential Clan Head**

**Danzou—Village Elder**

**Fugaku—Influential Clan Head and Chief of Military Police**

**Hiyashi—Influential Clan Head and Head of General Foreign Politics**

**Homura—Village Elder**

**Ibara—Head of an influential merchants' guild**

**Inoichi—Influential Clan Head and Head of the Torture and Interrogation Department**

**Jidanbou—Head of Foreign Trade (don't know why)**

**Juushiro—Head of the Civilian Peace Keepers' Core**

**Kenshin—Head of Military Surplus (yes, despite his seat on the Civilian Council)**

**Koharu—Village Elder**

**Megumi—Head of General Medicine and Health Care**

**Moriko—Head of an influential merchants' guild**

**Namida—Headmistress of the Ninja Academe and Head of General Education**

**Shibi—Influential Clan Head**

**Shikaku—Influential Clan Head**

**Shunsui—Head Manager of Mature Entertainment Franchise and Merchandise (What the fuck **_**he**_** is doing on the council, no one knows… not even me. But, hey, I find it entertaining.)**

**Tenzou—Captain-Commander of Anbu**

**Tsubaki—Head Matron of the Konoha Orphanage and Head Caretaker of the Homeless**

**Tsume—Influential Clan Head and Chief of the Ninja Hunters' Division**

**Yuri—Head of Real-Estate**

* * *

><p><strong>As a final note, the Hokage's vote, in political verdicts, counts as three votes, while the vote of <strong>_**either**_** Elder counts as two.**

**I hope you enjoyed this installment of Twisted Bonds! See ya next time!**


	2. Convergence within the Shadows

**Twisted Bonds**

**Chapter 2: Convergence within the Shadows**

* * *

><p><strong>Hello and welcome back! There isn't much for me to say, this time around, but please do enjoy! The main pairing, as promised, is listed below, followed by the confirmed, significant side pairings. It does provide a mild spoiler, though, so skip the list if you're not interested.<strong>

**On another note, the Disclaimer and the General Content Warnings have been changed, since the original posting of this Fic, so you may wish to reread them, if you haven't, already. They **_**are**_** there for a reason, after all.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pairings:<strong>

**Uzumaki NarutoXUzumaki NarikoXUchiha ShizukaXHyuuga Hinata**

**GaaraXTemariXNi'i Yugito**

**Momochi ZabuzaXTerumii Mei **

**Mitarashi AnkoXYuuhi Kurenai**

**Uzumaki KushinaXNagisa**

* * *

><p><strong>The tale continues…<strong>

**Eight years and two months after the Kyuubi's attack**

**Exact location unknown**

* * *

><p>Darkness… That was all she saw. Then again, being bound, gagged, blindfolded, and chucked into a burlap sack made that rather obvious. But, how did she get here? All that Shizuka could remember was coming home from the Ninja Academe. Yes, that was it! She had stayed after school to improve her skill in marksmanship. Shizuka found that throwing kunai had been rather easy, but the kunoichi-hopeful <em>also<em> found that she had a harder time getting the shuriken to hit their marks.

It took a few hours, but Shizuka finally had it down. Utterly ecstatic, the girl in question practically _skipped_ home. But, when she reached the gates to the Uchiha Compound, Shizuka… _sensed_ something wrong. It was like a feeling of impending doom that she just couldn't shake. Rushing in, against her better judgment, Shizuka saw something that made her freeze up, entirely—blood. All around the compound, everything was dyed a deep, nauseating crimson. Dozens of familiar bodies and dismembered portions littered the bloody dirt road, but what pulled Shizuka out of her shock and filled her with utter dread was the young man standing in the middle of it all. There was no mistake; the man covered in red and holding a dripping sword… the man in front of her was Shizuka's big brother, Itachi!

Then, the moment that she had made this realization, Shizuka felt a sharp pain at the base of her skull and her world went black… Tonight was just not her night, was it? First her brother was standing in a makeshift Uchiha graveyard, stabbing their uncle in the chest right in front of her, now some random jerk clubbed Shizuka upside the head and stuffed the hapless child into a potato sack! Needless to say, she didn't like it in there.

On top of that, why was Itachi killing their family? Shizuka had to confront him! She needed to try and understand what was happening! She needed to see who survived! She needed to get the _hell_ out of this old bag, before it gave her a rash! With that in mind, Uchiha Shizuka, daughter of Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku and heiress of the Uchiha Clan did the only thing an entrapped eight-year-old could do—she let out a loud squeal and _squirmed_ with all her might!

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Shizuka, another girl—another _heiress_, one might add—shared her plight.

Hyuuga Hinata had been awake for some time, now. Never before had the helpless, white-eyed six-year-old been so scared. She just wanted to go to bed, but then, the big man with a funny mask popped up out of nowhere and _hit_ her!

Now, she was tied up, blindfolded, tossed into a big, scratchy bag… and claustrophobic. In other words, poor Hinata wanted to cry.

Finally, the last party involved in all this came in the form of five people that seemed to fly through the shadows of the dimly-lit streets. With the cover of darkness on their sides, these intruders were easily capable of avoiding the nightly patrols of Konoha.

Each person within this standard infiltration unit was garbed in black cargo pants, white combat boots, a variant black shirt, a white armored vest, and black gloves. A blank, porcelain mask was also worn on each face, signifying their place within Anbu—the Elite Special Forces' Units that served as the guardians, hunters, and black operatives of whatever Ninja Village they resided within.

The masks had no distinguishing features, being completely flat and bone-white in color. A pair of thin slits rested where their eyes would be—presumably so that they could see—and an amorphous crest that vaguely resembled clouds was carved into the plaster surface of each mask, symbolizing that these ninja were from Kumogakure no Sato, the Village Hidden within the Clouds.

The mission of this team was quite simple; use the chaos ensued by Itachi to kidnap the Hyuuga Clan Heiress, Hinata. As an added bonus, they had also used this same opportunity to grab the Uchiha Clan Heiress, Shizuka. Despite their previous luck, however, there was just one issue getting in their way: they were _lost_!

"Damn it, Fundo!" one man screamed, "This is no time for your sense of direction to kick in!"

"You shut up!" the indignant co-captain shot back. Being the only one worth mention, Fundo was a plum-haired, dark-skinned woman, and as her namesake implied, she was _very_ angry, at the moment. Upon her snarl, the woman's subordinates got the message and kept their mouths shut.

On a side note, the four in question were all male. Some of them had light skin, some had dark, and each of them was either blonde or a redhead. These traits were rather common in Kaminari no Kuni, so that came as no surprise.

Snarling again, this time at her surroundings, Fundo looked to each side as her team moved on. They were headed south, into the slum district, and every damn thing here looked the _same_! Then, just as the five Kumo Anbu ducked into what felt like the hundredth alley, their leader heard a pair of sharp, yet subtle whistles. Looking to her left, Fundo saw the leader of the extraction team, Yoshi.

Giving the blonde, light-skinned man a nod, Fundo and her team converged with Yoshi's unit and sprinted further to the south, where their captain and the second extraction team were waiting. None of the foreign ninja ever noticed the blurred silhouette floating above them, watching since they had left the Hyuuga Compound.

The form in question was rather small—merely the height of an average child. Then again, size was not always everything. Just as the hidden observer spied the two Anbu teams bolting off, a pair of orange flashes sparked out from where its eyes would've been and the person faded from sight, entirely.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile<strong>

**Criminal Detention Facility Number Thirteen of Konohagakure no Sato**

* * *

><p>As a large drawbridge came crashing down with a bang, Shoki casually crossed over the prison's imposing pit of lava. While <em>this<em> particular facility didn't "normally" allow visitors, the ninja forces of Konoha were explicitly ordered by the Hokage, himself, _not_ to get in this woman's way when she wanted something and to comply with whatever demands she had. Granted, this only applied to those that were within reason, but letting a strange woman (with some type of _obvious_ leverage over their leader) pay a few "visits" to "chat" with some of the worst criminals in the history of Hi no Kuni was far from extreme.

While many among them would've gladly argued with such logic, it was their job to _enforce_ the rules; not to make them. In other words, extortion really _was_ quite fun.

Waltzing past the guards, knowing that they could not legally get in her way, the disguised fox demon continued on towards her destination—the holding cell where she would meet up with one Semimaru Reiko.

* * *

><p>In a dark chamber, a white-haired woman with dark, mocha-colored skin and… <em>one<em> crimson eye lay upon her bed, _trying_ to get some sleep. Her right eye—or what was left of it—was covered by a simple, black eye patch, having been lost a long time ago. Her skin was mostly pure and unblemished, only marred by a number of black, swirl-shaped, tribal-looking tattoos that covered a large portion of her torso and limbs, and her long, once-well-kept hair was becoming rather tangled, due to her four years of incarceration.

Her name was Semimaru Reiko. By the age of sixteen, she had already become one of the most infamous drug lords in the history of the _continent. _Starting at fourteen, she had killed the original lord of a bandit group in Tanzaku Gai and inherited his leadership over the future-yakuza gang by killing everyone that had opposed her. This effectively served to make her double as one of the _youngest_ drug lords in history.

Two years later, Konoha had sent three full Anbu units to apprehend Reiko and her lackeys, only to find that she had completely eradicated the entire cartel, including the team of double agents that were inserted by the Uchiha Police Force. This mass murder and the chaos that it ensued had earned her the name "Genocide Reiko" and effectively destroyed the majority of the evidence that Konoha had built up over Reiko's two-year reign.

While they did have her on two-hundred-fifty-eight counts of murder in the first degree, there was just one glaring setback that had kept Reiko from receiving the only fitting punishment for such a heinous act—at the age of sixteen, she was too young to legally receive the death penalty in Hi no Kuni, regardless of her crimes. This would not have been a problem if she was a kunoichi, but as a civilian, she was still not legally considered an adult until the age of _eighteen_!

As infuriated as they were, the people of the court—and the Uchiha Clan—were forced to settle for a sentence of natural life in prison without the possibility of parole. This meant that Reiko was stuck here until the day she died.

It wasn't so bad at first, as all Reiko had ever sought in her life was a simple means to survive. Now, she had food, shelter, and the clothes on her back—all for free, one might add. But, as was often the case in prison, she longed to be free, again. She wanted to live her life in a home of her own, not a cage. She wanted to feel the sun on her face, again, to eat a well cooked meal that she didn't expect to crawl off of her plate, half the time, and, perhaps even to fall in love, some day.

Needless to say, none of that was ever going to happen here. Recently, however, a small glimmer of hope came to Reiko in the form of a woman that sought her help; a woman named Shoki.

Immediately after the name had crossed her mind, a loud clank caught her attention. The distinctive noise was one that Reiko had come to recognize as the sound of her cell door opening. Sure enough, a small team of prison guards was standing there, waiting to extract her.

Seeing that his charge was awake, the man directly in front of the cell spoke.

"Your _friend_ is here to see you, now," he said. Reiko could hear the barb in the man's tone as he referred to Shoki. It was clear that he was not a particular fan of the orange-haired woman.

With a nod, Reiko stood up and approached the trio of men, not saying a word. Calmly accepting the shackles, the white-haired woman was led down the hall and into an empty cell that served make-shift visiting chamber. It was there that she would meet her guest.

* * *

><p>Shoki waited patiently, sitting in a small chair as Reiko and her escorts entered. Once the white-haired woman sat down and made herself as comfortable as was possible, all things considered, everyone's favorite fox demon decided to break the proverbial ice.<p>

"So," she chirped, "how's Hell?"

Reiko replied with an unamused scoff, "Devil's on holiday. Without him around, my eternal damnation is getting pretty dull." With that, Reiko gave an overly-dramatic yawn, eliciting a small chuckle from her soon-to-be savior. "Humor aside, what's new?"

"I'll soon be calling in a few favors from some new friends in high places," Shoki said, putting on a more serious face, "if I could legally get you out of here, what would you be willing to do for me?"

Reiko gave a long pause at that one. _'Is she serious?'_ After a moment of thought, though, she gave her answer, "It depends on what you mean by getting me out of here. If you meant that you'd give me back my freedom, then, hell, I'd be willing to give you _grandchildren_, if you asked me to."

Reiko was no stranger to the harsh whispers that were spoken behind the disguised vixen's back. While she didn't know what to believe, in some cases, she _did_ know that Shoki had adopted the children of the last "official" member of the Uzumaki Clan. Then again, she didn't really _need_ to know much, anyway.

Meanwhile, the guards were not at all pleased to hear the conversation, though they did not voice it. While they could do nothing at the moment, due to the Hokage's orders, they _had_ to tell him of this. Perhaps he could stop this woman? Surely, he knew that Genocide Reiko was far too dangerous to let out!

* * *

><p><strong>With the ninja from Kumo<strong>

* * *

><p>Back in the slum district, the Anbu squads pressed on, still unaware of their ghostly stalker. Perched atop an old, rickety, black building, the now-invisible boy waited for his prey to stop again. Once the two squads ducked into another alley, the boy lifted his hand before himself. Then, almost immediately, a small, blue flame erupted in front of his palm and condensed into a perfect sphere. Once it was complete, the little, blue ball then shot forth.<p>

On the ground, Yoshi, apparently not living up to his name, was the first to go. In a blue flash, he was he was incinerated before he could even feel the pain and _cremated_ in roughly the amount of time that it took to _blink_!

"Form ranks!" Fundo screamed. Unfortunately, her first reply came in the form of three more members of her team being reduced to piles of soot. What made it even worse was that each fireball came from a different direction!

Grabbing the pair of now-wriggling sacs from the men that had held them up to this point, Fundo stood in the center of the protective ring formation that her remaining comrades formed, preparing to bolt the instant that the opportunity showed itself. With their swords drawn, the remainder of the extraction and infiltration teams stood ready to defend their co-captain. Sadly, neither of them would get the chance they sought.

Their stalker had expected this reaction, and with his next attack, they would _all _be dead, just as swiftly as their allies before them. Raising his arm one last time, the boy prepared his final assault. Sensing his chakra flow, the ninja on the ground went into a frenzy. Their reflexes were not enough to save them, though, as when the boy gave a wave of his hand, there was an explosive swirl of blue fire that could be clearly seen from the Hokage Tower.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile<strong>

* * *

><p>Just outside the walls of Konoha, a loud blast and a plume of smoke made themselves known as cries of panic and outrage rang through the night. In the center of it all, a third team of Kumo Anbu fought desperately to defend their base camp.<p>

Their opponent was the black silhouette of a two-tailed fox with glowing, flame-colored eyes that resembled a pair of smoldering coals. It was just as small as its ghostly comrade in the slums; the size of a mere child, but the sheer malice that it secreted was nearly _tangible_. What only made matters worse for the ninja squad and their two leaders was that this thing seemed to have brought friends, if the hail of flaming arrows was anything to go by.

'_So it's true,'_ thought the captain, a man named Gashira, _'the Kyuubi really _does_ have a new vessel.' _The man in question was the only one present had any remotely distinguishing features.

More specifically, his mask—rather than being completely blank—was molded in the form of a demon's face, horns and all. It still had the cloud crest between the eyes, though, and marked him as not only a member of Kumo's most elite Special Forces, but also the leader of the currently-invading forces. In other words, it was a lot like having a dartboard plastered to his forehead.

His attire was also very unique amongst those of his comrades, being completely black in color and resembling a kabuki outfit. That, however, was of little importance, as the demon fox… _thing_ that stood before the man in question was beginning to get impatient.

Snarling at the shocked ninja before her, the Youki-veiled intruder reared her head back and let loose a vicious roar. Being startled out of their own little stupors, two of the seven ninja leapt forward and engaged their assailant head-on as a third decided to be a wise-ass and attack her from a distance. As the demon fox dove into the ground like it was made of water, two of the attacking ninja were rewarded for their efforts with an arrow to the chest as the other felt something grab his ankle. Then, the man was immediately dragged down into a giant vortex of lava that gushed upwards from beneath his feet and, once its victim was swallowed whole, the swirling deathtrap was then sucked back into the earth like water down a drain.

Upon seeing such a nasty technique, the co-captain, a blue-haired woman named Aoi, tried to warn her superior to leave. That had to wait, though, as she spun around and the ground behind her shattered. A hot pain flared in her chest, just after she had used a Kawarimi to switch places with one of the corpses and avoid a claw swipe to the neck. The culprit behind the sharp sensation was a black arrow with a smoldering piece of hot coal applied to its head.

Yanking the offending projectile from between her lung and heart, the fair-skinned Anbu was not going down without a fight. With that in mind, she charged forth, yanking out her ninja-to and slashed at the two-tailed fox with a roar. Unfortunately, her target ducked back into the ground and two more arrows found home in her back.

As yet another Anbu was killed by the swirling lava technique, Aoi fell to her knees. "Captain," she screamed, "get the hell outta here! We've obviously been compromised!"

Gashira didn't have to be told twice; the instant that he was prompted to, he vanished in a flash of light, leaving only a few electric sparks in his wake.

She was all alone, now. The rest of her team had left with her captain and the archers had stopped firing. As far as she could tell, it was just Aoi and the beast. Taking her chances, hoping that another arrow wouldn't plant itself in her skull, the weary co-captain rose to her feet, wishing to at least die with dignity. Hearing a growl from behind, the blue-haired woman slowly faced her assailant. Removing her mask and going into a lowered grappling stance at a steady pace, her blue eyes met blazing orange.

Then, the black fox seemed to calm itself as it snarled at something in the trees.

Sensing a multitude of hidden figures taking their leave, Aoi took notice of a redheaded male pausing for a moment, before leading his friends away. _'He's tracing the Shunshin,' _she mused, _'that doesn't bode well.'_ The fox-brat was the only thing that stood between the Anbu woman and an attempt to attack the young, shady-looking man.

Once the fox's "buddies" left, it started to snarl, again.

Seeing her opponent's obvious intent, Aoi scoffed. "So you want to deal with me yourself, do you? That's fine by me."

Soon after that was said, a green glow rose from the wounds in Aoi's back and the arrows buried in her were pushed out, the holes they had made closing up, soon after. Then, not once taking her eyes off of her opponent, the Kumo swords woman stretched her back, retrieved her weapon of choice—the ninja-to that she had dropped, not long ago—and spoke, again. "One way or another, this ends now."

* * *

><p>After a brief silence, Shoki seemed to suddenly flinch and her expression darkened. <em>'My kits need me,'<em> she thought. Regaining her composure, she stood and addressed Reiko, once again. "Well, I believe we're almost done, here. I just need one last question answered."

The red-eyed woman nodded and spoke. "Fine by me, fire away."

"This is an important one," Shoki warned, "answering wrong or dishonestly could very well make me change my mind in letting you free." Seeing Reiko's remaining eye widen, the fox knew that she got her point across. "Why did you kill your entire drug cartel?"

While she already knew the answer, Shoki wanted to hear it from the other woman's lips.

Reiko took a soothing breath, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She knew by her tone that the orange-haired woman was deadly serious. Looking Shoki in the eye, she vividly recalled the day that the Ninja Forces of Konoha had arrested her.

"Well, first off," She explained, "my relations with them were strictly based on business. I didn't know any of them on a personal level, but I did know that I was being stabbed in the back…"

"…And so, you 'burned the haystack' to find the needles," Shoki finished in a questioning tone. Her expression, however, was unreadable.

Reiko visibly squirmed at her own words being used against her. She remembered saying just that, all too well. "In most cases, I'll admit. But, there were a few that I did trust and I had originally intended to spare them. Unfortunately, when I sensed the Anbu approaching, I knew that I was going to be caught, so I had to kill the rest and destroy the records. If Konoha knew what I was doing in other nations…"

"I know," Shoki cut in, speaking softly. "You would've been tried by their laws and sentenced to death." With one last look at the white haired woman, she walked off. "That's all I needed to know."

As she passed by the guards, the veiled demoness then addressed the leader of the team. "You can take her back to her cell, but if she is harmed in any way, I _will_ find out, and I _will_ make you all pay. Am I clear?" Seeing each of the men nod, she then smiled and began to fade away, like a lifting fog. "Good. Make sure to spread the word."

Unfortunately for Reiko, she didn't hear that last part, so it was understandable that her nervousness lead to very little sleep, that night.

* * *

><p><strong>Some unknown amount of time later<strong>

* * *

><p>It was quiet; <em>too<em> quiet. The only sound that Shoki could detect was someone's shallow panting. Looking to her side, she could see that Naruto was worried, but rather calm. That put Shoki a bit more at ease, as if Nariko was harmed or in danger, then her brother would be having a fit. The twins always _did_ have a powerful—though mysterious—link between them, so there was little to worry about, in the physical department. Still, first kills were never easy. If anything, the girl was likely scared out of her mind (among other things), so finding her was the mother vixen's very first priority, at the moment.

Nariko wasn't hard to find; she _was_ the only living human in the area, after all (aside from Naruto, of course), and she was far too distressed to even _consider_ hiding. The girl in question was sitting on the chest of a blue-haired woman, when Shoki found her. Tiny, trembling hands were still wrapped around the fresh corpse's windpipe, as Nariko stared into the set of glazed, blue eyes that stared back with a look of acceptance. It had seemed almost laughable that a ratty-looking, eight-year-old girl could _possibly_ take on an elite, foreign kunoichi, but Nariko wasn't just _any_ little girl; she was _Shoki's_ little girl.

Approaching the quivering blonde, careful not to alarm her, the mother vixen pulled her kit into a warm, comforting embrace. Nariko didn't so much as blink, when Shoki draped an arm around her, but once she found herself in her guardian's hold, the blonde girl let loose a loud whimper, trying hard not to cry.

"It's okay," Shoki cooed, "let it out."

Spurred by her mother's words, Nariko did just that. A huge sob wracked her tiny frame as the guilt and self-loathing of killing another human being slowly poured out of her. It was no different when the orange-haired woman found Naruto, and she was glad; it proved that despite them being raised to think like demons, they had not become monsters. Even demons had morals, contrary to popular belief, but monsters did not, and the guilt that the twins felt was proof that they didn't lose their sense of right and wrong.

Despite the sadness in knowing that she'd have to leave, soon, Shoki felt comfort in the fact that her kits would make her proud, as they grew and developed. All she needed, now, was for someone to pick up where she left off, and the demonic woman knew the perfect candidates for the job.

* * *

><p><strong>With that, we have the end of Chapter Two. It is also my first attempt a writing any kind "combat" scene (though the term <strong>_**is**_** used rather loosely, in this case), so if you have any advice, please do tell me what you have to say. I'm still learning, after all, so it goes without saying that learning from my mistakes is made immensely easier, when I can actually identify what I did wrong.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>IMPORTANT!<strong>_

**In regards to Naruto and Nariko's little skirmishes with the Kumo Anbu, let me get this out, before you start badmouthing me about them being overpowered. Let's look at how they did it and start with Naruto, shall we?**

**Did he fight them directly? No, he concealed himself and attacked like a fucking **_**ninja**_** should; from the shadows! In causing them to panic and using it against them, Naruto fought like an assassin, not a fucking Super-Saiyan Fifty-and-a-**_**fucking**_**-half GOKU ON CRACK! I've seen Fics with a **_**five**_**-year-old Naruto beheading an elite, scary-assed Jounin in direct, close-range combat with his **_**forefinger**_**! Honestly, people, considering some of the utterly ridiculous shit I've seen on this site, be glad I'm avoiding it. I'll admit I'm probably skating on thin ice, with this one, but it could be a hell of a lot worse.**

**In Nariko's case, I took the more tactical approach of having her serve as a distraction with a few archers in the shadows, picking off the Anbu like Naruto did. While my chibi version everyone's favorite Ninja Centerfold **_**did**_** end up hafting to fight one directly (a co-captain, no less), Aoi knew she was fighting a midget. As such, she was, in fact, **_**very**_** susceptible to underestimating her opponent, especially since the extent of Nariko's skill was—and **_**still**_** is—unknown, for the most part. On top of that, I left the details of this clash to the imagination, so I could **_**avoid**_** any real Mary-Sue bullshit. If anything, I'm on thin ice with **_**this**_** fight, not Naruto's. To each their own, I guess…**

**On a lighter note, no, Hinata and Shizuka were **_**not**_** killed by Naruto's swirling vortex of doom. Considering the parameters of the second challenge **_**and**_** the main pairing, is that **_**really**_** much of a spoiler?**

**Right…**

_**Two years after Naruto becomes Hokage, the ghost of Hinata approaches…**_

"**You killed me when I was six," she said, "let's fuck!"**

**BULLSHIT! That is **_**not**_** happening!**

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><p><strong>Trivia: Anbu Identities and the HyuugaKumo Fiasco**

**For the record, Gashira is the unnamed, presumably one-eyed Jounin that tried to kidnap Hinata, in canon. Apparently, Kishi, **_**himself**_** didn't even feel the need to name him, as he is listed on the profile site I use as Shinobi Gashira, which means something to the effect of "Shinobi Commander". Don't quite remember the exact meaning, mind you, but I **_**do**_** know that it was a rank, not a name. Also, I didn't really give enough of a shit to **_**give**_** him a name, myself, so I decided to be fucking **_**lazy**_**!**

**At the very least, I'm honest enough give you a heads up, when I feel the need to be a half-ass, so be happy about **_**that**_**, will ya? On another note, I make an effort not to be lazy, when it comes to something that's actually **_**important**_**.**

**As for the whole "Anbu teams being sent in to seize the brat and say 'rawr'" thing going on, here, well, I figured this was a much more convincing scenario than the one in canon (at least in my opinion). On top of that, it's part of the second challenge that I mentioned for Hinata and a Fem Uchiha (Shizuka) to be saved by Naruto. The details, fireballs, and aftermath of the boy's Predator-inspired ambush will be covered Chapter Three: A Vixen's Departure.**

**Actually-Named Anbu**

**Aoi—OC, Name Meaning: blue or green**

**Fundo—OC, Name Meaning: anger, frustration**

**Yoshi—OC, Name Meaning: lucky (actual Japanese name)**

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><p><strong>Hope you've enjoyed my writings, thus far! Next chapter, I'll be covering the sad conclusion to Shoki's visit. T_T<strong>

**Until then!**


	3. Clarity and Bargaining

**Twisted Bonds**

**Chapter 3: Clarity and Bargaining**

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><p><strong>Hello, people! I'm sorry for the wait… this update took longer than I had hoped, due to a few cases of writer's block that had occurred along the way. Also, in regards to the original version of this Fic, I've decided to keep it up until the end of the year.<strong>

**On another note, I have seen many people requesting in their reviews that I add Kushina, Nagisa (Fem Nagato), and in some cases, even Shoki (my version of a Fem Kyuubi) to the Harem. It is these requests that I will have to deny as politely as possible, as this is my first attempt at a Harem Fic.**

**I've seen more than one Fic being ruined by an overly-large Harem, and I've learned from the mistakes of those authors. In truth, the only mass Harem Fics I've come across that were well done (in my opinion) were NILF by EroSlackerMicha and Eroninja by The Lemon Sage. While the latter author could use some brushing up in regards to grammar, I was actually **_**shocked**_** at how well done these Fics turned out to be.**

**Still, I am taking no requests, in regards to the Harem.**

**Finally, I'm not finishing the Arc, here, as I had originally planned, due to the sheer amount of content that I have planned to put in, before I do. That said, I had to split the planned Chapter in two, so as not to repeat the mistake that I had made with Silver and Gold (cramming more than what I could handle in a single Chapter). A Vixen's Departure will be the next Chapter, not this one (needless to say).**

**Oh! One moooa ting! Due to a few recent updates to List of General Content Warnings, all readers are now strongly advised to re-read those warnings. **_**Most**_** of these, new warnings have been placed into a new, convenient third section that will most likely leave many people mentally-scarred. Also, I'd recommend having Google or a dictionary site handy, when reading this section, just in case.**

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><p><strong>In regards to a Beta, the user, puffdadder has volunteered for the job. Yay!<strong>

**(Crickets Chirping)**

**Well, that's not very nice…**

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><p><strong>Let's Begin!<strong>

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><p><em>On the night of the massacre, Itachi looked up from the corpse of his Uncle Uchiha Teyaki, swearing that he had just sensed his sister's presence. <em>

_Was it his imagination? _

_Probably… if Shizuka was nearby, she wasn't even_ remotely_ skilled enough to hide from the likes of him._

_Dismissing the thought with a mournful sigh, the young Anbu Captain moved on. As much as he hated doing this, he had a duty to fulfill. Still, the boy needed to move faster; the sooner he advanced to his next target, the sooner he could get this onslaught __over with. Spurred on by that notion, Itachi sought the target that he knew would be the hardest in more ways than one—his own mother._

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><p><strong>Present time<strong>

**Two days after the Uchiha Clan Massacre**

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><p>It was late at night when Mikoto wandered the halls of the Hyuuga compound. The immense amount of damage to their compound had forced them to stay with their own bitter rivals… mainly because there wasn't much of a compound left. Then again, such things were only to be expected when a small army of A and B-class ninja were forced to fight off a surprise attack from another powerful group that just happened to be led by an S-class Elite, like Itachi. This was especially the case when the majority of the combatants, again, <em>just happened<em> to be world-famous users of fire-based Ninjutsu.

Needless to say, the sheer amount of damaged property had far-exceeded that which was left intact…

Mikoto sighed, for what felt like the hundredth time, as she continued down the hall, and found herself lost in thought.

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><p><em>Uchiha Mikoto hummed to herself, blissfully unaware of the events outside, or so it seemed. In truth, she knew damn well what was going on. While the thought of her clan mates dying made her shudder, she wasn't among the targets, or so she thought. In truth, though she was just worried about Shizuka, as the matriarch's daughter should've been home by now. She sighed, as her apprehension about the clan's planned uprising was obviously getting to her. But, five minutes were not even close to enough of a reason for this much worry, as she was assured that Itachi's targets were strictly the ones involved in the coup.<em>

_Still, above all else, __Mikoto was a _mother_, and as a mother, it was her_ job_ to worry! That said, she had decided upon the five minute mark that if Shizuka wasn't home in ten minutes, then she'd go out and look for her. In the meantime, Mikoto decided to get the dishes out of the way, hoping that the task would distract her from her troubles. After what _felt_ like a long moment, though, she looked up at the kitchen clock and sighed, again. Only two of the ten minutes had passed, and she was _already_ getting antsy!_

'Maybe I'll cut it down to five,'_ she thought, _'I don't think I'll be_ able _to wait a full ten minutes, at this rate.'

_Upon the passing of the third minute, though, Mikoto was none too pleased to notice a familiar presence enter the house. Was he done already? That thought scared her. Well, on the brighter side, maybe he'd seen his sister about? At the very least, it _was_ worth asking._

"_Itachi," Mikoto ventured, "Shizuka's not home. Do you know where she might be?"_

_There was no answer. _That_ put Mikoto on edge; she knew her son was there and that he was close enough to hear her._

"_Oi, Itachi!"_

_There was still no answer. Mikoto's long-developed instincts kicked in as a subtle whistle filled her ears. Immediately, she spun around, a carving knife in one hand, and catching the sword arm of her would-be assailant in the other. Itachi was just as quick, catching his mother's main hand with his free one and halting the soap-covered utensil before it could bite into his hip. The attack, however, was obviously aiming to maim and cripple; not to kill. Mikoto didn't want Itachi dead, after all, she wanted answers._

"_Itachi," the woman shouted, her now-red eyes locked with an identical set, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"_

"_My job," the aforementioned boy replied, "Give up, Mother. You can't win; you've taught me everything you know."_

_Mikoto was simply appalled by her son's words as she tried to push him back. "Your _job_? Who authorized this? Tell me!"_

_Itachi simply pushed back as he replied. "That is not your concern."_

_Mikoto could only glare at her son, her eyes glimmering with a mix of betrayal and an icy rage. As each Uchiha continued to struggle against the other's strength, neither gave an inch, until a bright, blue flash engulfed the hand that held Itachi's sword. The tell-tale crackling of an electrical attack came with it, as Mikoto heaved her immobilized son across the kitchen floor. The now-paralyzed ninja found himself landing in a short roll, until he came to a stop by crashing into the dining room table._

"_Raijin no Te," Itachi coughed out in recognition. This didn't make sense; that technique required for the user to have a powerful lightning affinity. He thought Mikoto had a water affinity. "When did you learn that?"_

"_A good ninja never reveals _everything_ they can do to anyone," Mikoto lectured, "Now answer my questions! Why are you doing this? Who sent you?" The Uchiha woman had to fight back a sob, after she waited for an answer, only to receive nothing. "So it's like that is it? You're giving me no choice, Itachi! Do you have any idea how much you're hurting me by doing this?"_

_There was still no answer, even as Mikoto switched the katana over to her main hand, returning the knife to the sink. As his mother approached, Itachi subtly tested his ability to move. His limbs were still numb, so it came as no surprise that he remained immobile._

'I have no choice,'_ the boy thought, _'I'll have to use the Mangekyou.'

_Just as she approached, Mikoto saw her son's Sharingan eyes bleed and change form into something far more sinister. She barely dodged the condensed torrent of Chakra that Itachi launched from his eyes and it did not escape her notice that a black flame burst to life upon the ceiling behind her._

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><p>Back in present time, Mikoto froze in mid-step, vividly remembering her son's second attempt to kill her. It had later become obvious that Itachi was the one who had murdered Shisui. That was the only way to explain how he had unlocked the infamous Mangekyou Sharingan. <em>'What have you let yourself become, Itachi?'<em>

Silence was the only answer she got…

With a shudder, the Uchiha matriarch struggled to restrain the tears that now threatened to spill. Now was not the time to cry; it was the time to recover. In one night, the Uchiha Clan's numbers had plummeted from three-hundred-plus to the lower _fifties_! They needed to reestablish their powerbase as one of the major clans of Konoha. They needed to repair and reclaim their homes. They needed to lick their wounds and move on!

"Are you alright, Mikoto-sama?"

The woman in question jumped a good two feet at the sudden interruption. Turning to her left, she realized that the voice came from one of the male guards, a female one also stood to Mikoto's right. Their presence caused the Uchiha woman to realize just how distracted she had been.

Obviously, said sentinels were both from the Hyuuga Clan's cadet branch—the glorified slaves of their own clan. The Main House, after all, had "better" things to do with their time than fussing over their own damn safety.

Mikoto sighed, inwardly reprimanding herself for her previous lack of awareness. "I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about."

The guards nodded, reluctantly, knowing better. But, the woman's dismissive undertone made it clear that she didn't want to talk about it. With that considered, they took their leave, continuing their patrol.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Mikoto continued her trek through the complex. She just wanted to get some fresh air, before she checked on Shizuka and got some sleep. The Uchiha Matriarch was scheduled to meet the Hokage in about ten hours, but despite having had "plenty of" recovery time, her memories of that horrible night just wouldn't leave her alone!

* * *

><p><em>With her narrow escape from death itself, it was obvious to Mikoto that getting too close was far too risky. With that thought in mind, she opted to end this from a safe distance. So, she utilized a left-handed punching motion and an arc of lightning shot from her knuckles. <em>'Raiton: Raigeki!'

_Unfortunately, Itachi had finally found himself able to move, his previous attack bought him enough time to get up. Rolling well out of the way of his mother's attack, the young male then tumbled to his feet and slapped his hands into a Tiger Seal._

'Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!' _Itachi thought, as a giant burst of flame erupted from his lips, filling his line of sight with its sheer size._

_Upon seeing her son's technique, Mikoto responded by throwing her head back and unleashing an attack of her own, literally spitting out a massive torrent of water. _'Suiton: Mizurappa!'

_The effect of Mikoto's attack was elementary; the violent water wave overpowered and quenched Itachi's grand fireball. As an added bonus, though, the woman's assailant was also sent careening into the wall behind him. Taking advantage of this, Mikoto formed a one-handed Rabbit Seal. _'Raiton: Kangekiha!'

_As a result, a new flash of lightning lit up and traveled down the still-flowing torrent, sending thousands of volts of electricity through Itachi's body. That, combined with the following impact with the wall sent him crumbling to the ground._

_Still not out of the fight, Itachi rolled into a squat, facing his mother with blood now trickling down from his right eye. _'Tsukuyomi!'

_Seeing the attack coming as a wave of Chakra, Mikoto was forced to cancel her techniques as she responded with a slash of her son's katana. Channeling her chakra through the blade, a wave of her own was sent right back to intercept. Then, with an otherworldly ripple in the air, the two invisible energies collided and the infamous Genjutsu was canceled. Using her motion to flow into another, the Uchiha woman shot her free hand forward, her palm open. _'Raijin no Te!'

_By that time, Itachi had already gotten up and was trying to sprint towards his mother—his Genjutsu having served as an expensive, but necessary distraction. Sadly, his attempt to get into melee range was cut off by a series of lightning bolts that leaped at him from his target's fingertips and nearly sent him right back into the wall. Calling upon his Chakra, the young male forced himself to move, opening the first of the Hachimon to do so. _'Kaimon: Kai!'

_Seeing her son still on his feet and shambling towards her, she forced down the resulting sense of dread and pushed more Chakra into her assault._

_Forced to his knees by the spike in voltage, Itachi forced himself up, using another of the gates. _'Kyuumon: Kai!'

_Yet another contest of wills ensued, as the young Anbu Captain struggled towards his mother. This contest, however, was just as short-lived as the last. When Mikoto saw her son's advance, she channeled small threads of her non-elemental Chakra through the branches of her electrical attack, and made a mighty hurling motion. With that, Itachi was thrown into and through the wall to his right—the threads acting like the strings of a puppet, before they dislodged._

_Bouncing off the dirt road and rolling back to his feet, Itachi launched a new fire technique, releasing a barrage of fireballs upon his now-charging mother. _'Katon: Housenka!'

_To his quickly-developing frustration, the heir's attack did not connect, as Mikoto seemed to flicker out of existence. _'She used a Shunshin,'_ Itachi thought. Then, the young Anbu Captain noticed an intense light coming from his left, as he looked and saw that the entire road seemed to be engulfed by one giant flash of lightning._

_Mikoto panted as she surveyed the field. Despite Gian being her most devastating technique, the Uchiha Matriarch knew that her son had escaped its reach._

"_Mikoto-sama," a female voice yelled, the woman called turned to see that a distant relative of hers was the one who had shouted her name. Specifically, the relative was a lanky, teenaged Chuunin with spiky, black hair._

_She had apparently seen the attack, as did the three male Uchiha members that followed her._

"_Tatsuki," Mikoto called back, "What's going on? Itachi's trying to kill me!"_

"_I don't know," Tatsuki replied, "his entire unit's attacking us!"_

"_Look out!" one male cried, just as a loud rumble filled the group's ears. Just then, the ground, itself seemed to come to life, as massive chunks of earth flew about like snowflakes in a blizzard. One of the Uchiha wasn't fast enough, as the other three used Shunshin no Jutsu to flee to the roof. The hapless, young man was quickly bludgeoned and crushed to death by the debris._

_Upon landing on the rooftop, Mikoto recognized the bald Anbu that they had landed behind as Fukutaichou Yama, an infamous earth-user and one of Itachi's co-captains. Then, just as the masked cueball turned to face his adversaries, Mikoto swiftly decapitated him with a swing of her pilfered weapon._

_The Uchiha matriarch absently watched as the man's head bounced and fell to the ground like a soccer ball before she turned her gaze towards the building to her right. Standing there was Itachi, flanked by a second co-captain and three other Anbu. More members of his unit could be seen in the distance, locked in combat with other members of the clan. One thing was made rather clear, at that moment; this was going to be a long night._

* * *

><p>Yet again, Mikoto let loose a sad sigh. The fight had lasted for hours before the Hokage saw that something was amiss and sent his… <em>other<em> best squads of Anbu to detain Itachi's unit. Unfortunately, its nine remaining members had escaped, seeing that their mission had been compromised.

Some amount of time later, she awoke in a hospital bed, her newly-broken arm in a cast and a replenishment seal above the headboard to treat her Chakra depletion. The remaining wounds that she had received in the later hours of her fight to survive were also gone, but those were just a bunch of scrapes and bruises, so that wasn't very surprising.

In the end, though, she had never discovered who had given Itachi's the alleged orders to kill the entire Uchiha Clan, as all who were involved had claimed that the unit had been acting on their own. The Hokage (being the one who sent the other Anbu squads) could be trusted, as sending them in before the job was done would've defeated the purpose of changing their orders. The members of the Elder Council, however, were the ones that she questioned, but there was no solid evidence that could be used to back up anyone's suspicions.

Finally reaching her and Shizuka's room, Mikoto greeted another pair of guards and paused upon entering to see her daughter sleeping peacefully. The Uchiha Matriarch could never describe how glad she was to have discovered that Shizuka was safe. Closing the door behind her as she approached, Mikoto gave Shizuka a kiss on the forehead and returned to her own bed, hopefully getting some sleep in.

* * *

><p>The next day, in the Hokage's office, Mikoto stood with Hiashi of the Hyuuga Clan, and the Hokage, Hiruzen, waiting for a third arrival. Juushiro wasn't late, mind you—Mikoto had simply arrived rather early, due to lack of sleep, and Hiashi was <em>always<em> early, if he could help it. Thankfully, she didn't need to wait much longer.

Ukitake Juushiro marched into the office with a male member of the Uchiha Clan on each flank. Due to the severe depletion of manpower left in the wake of the now-dubbed Uchiha Massacre, what _was_ left of the Uchiha Military Police Department had to be assimilated by the Civilian Militia, effectively giving the Militia's head, Juushiro, the rather big task of leading the new Department of Local Law Enforcement.

His first task was to investigate the strange happenings in the slum district (or the Pit, as it now appeared to be known by its inhabitants), as a selection of Konoha's best remaining Anbu cleaned up what was left of the Uchiha Clan Compound. While the Pit was considered to be a separate entity from Hi no Kuni by the Lord of Fire, himself, this status was still fresh. That said, Juushiro still held jurisdiction over the area, until the Fire Lord was confident that the people of Shoki's "territory" could handle themselves.

Sporting long, white hair and pale skin, poor Juushiro always looked to be rather sickly, even when he _was_ in good health. But, his composure and the dead serious look in his coal-colored eyes showed that he was perfectly fine and bearing news that was not bound to be of the good kind. Giving a bow, Juushiro greeted those present. "Hokage-sama, Mikoto-sama, Hiyashi-sama," he began, "I'm here to report my team's findings."

"Proceed," the Hokage commanded.

Clearing his throat, the Head of Law Enforcement obliged. "Starting with those sightings of an odd blue flash, we visited the area where it had apparently happened. Upon arriving, my team had discovered a series of large, swirl-shaped scorch marks in the area. With the help of Yashiro, here," Juushiro gestured to a white-haired man to his right, "we were able to determine that the damage was caused by an Enton user."

Using the brief pause to think, Hiruzen was not pleased with the thought that came to mind. "Why would Pakura the Desecrater be here?" he asked, seeing as the woman in question was the first person who had come to mind.

"That's what had me puzzled," Juushiro admitted, "so, I had another team look into it."

"Just who is this Pakura?" Mikoto interrupted. She also wondered what this had to do with the massacre, but she knew that they'd get to that, eventually. "And, while you're at it, what's Enton?"

"Pakura the Desecrater," Hiruzen explained, "is an S-Class criminal from Sunagakure no Sato. Specifically, she's a rogue Jounin that is wanted for grave robbing, murder, and extortion. She's also a descendant of the Shodaime Kazekage, and the only living person that is known to use Enton, the hybrid element between fire and wind."

"The problem is that she's a fugitive from an allied nation," Yashiro pointed out. "There's also the fact that the assault occurred rather far away from our cemetery. If she wanted an artifact or something else that was buried here, then why were all of the graves in our cemetery untouched? On top of that the killing methods were completely different from what Pakura typically uses on anyone brave enough to interfere with her goals. It just doesn't add up."

"What kind of methods are we looking at?" Mikoto was still worried. Then again, she had just survived a fight with Itachi! The last thing she needed was another S-class to worry about.

"She uses her hybrid element to, essentially, flash-cook her enemies," Yashiro explained, "In short, she would ignite the air around them and dehydrate their flesh into a state of mummification. The problem is that the remains of the victims we found were completely incinerated. Only a few teeth and bone fragments were left intact. Everything else was either melted or turned to ash. The methods used and the sheer demand for Chakra that something like this would have leads us to believe that someone else was behind this."

"But isn't this Pakura person the only one who could this element?" the Uchiha Matriarch asked. Before Yashiro could counter that, the lead investigator spoke up.

"She is the only _living_ Enton user on record," Juushiro stated, "However, there's the possibility that someone else could have harnessed this ability. There are multiple techniques that one could use to resurrect or simply reanimate the dead, which would allow the user access to any hybrid element through the use of a puppet or undead servant. Suna has been known to have developed at least one such technique, as has Konoha."

"Hitokugutsu and Edo Tensei," Hiashi pondered aloud, speaking up once more.

"Indeed," the Hokage agreed.

At this, Mikoto blushed. Those possibilities had slipped her mind. Still, they didn't comfort her in the least. "Does that mean that some kind of puppet master did this?"

To this, another man finally spoke up. His name was Tekka; the third and youngest Uchiha in the room, standing to Juushiro's left. "That is a possibility that we can't rule out, yet, but there are others. We'll need more time to look into it. We also haven't covered our other findings, yet."

"Soon after the 'mysterious flash' had occurred, the missing children, Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Shizuka were dropped off at the Hyuuga Compound. The two of them were lightly singed and covered in soot, but otherwise unharmed. We have yet to discover who did this and why, but we believe that the victims of the Enton user were the ones who tried to kidnap them and were intercepted on their way to their base camp. If it was a rogue did do this, then we have yet to figure out what their motives could be. A simple act of charity doesn't tend to fit the profile of your average fugitive."

With a sigh, the younger man among the present Uchiha continued, "we also found the camp… or what was left of it, and it seems to have been attacked by a Youton user."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" The one who interrupted was the Hokage, and he did not seem to be pleased with the thought of a lava-wielder in Konoha, and it was with good reason.

While Youton was one of the most common among the hybrid elements, it was also one that existed only in a small number of nations that were still considered to be hostile towards Konoha, even since the end of the Third Great War. Specifically, these nations were Kaminari no Kuni, Tsuchi no Kuni, and Mizu no Kuni. Also, despite the peace treaty that was being negotiated with Kumo, the capital city of Kaminari no Kuni, the recent attempt to kidnap the heiresses of the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans had understandably compromised the agreement. This was why Kaminari no Kuni was (though not yet officially) considered to be among those hostiles.

To answer the Hokage's question, Juushiro spoke up, again. "As we're all aware, Yashiro, here is a Sensor Class," he said, gesturing to the Uchiha in question, "and he detected a number of lingering Chakra signatures under the camp. Considering how commonly-used a killing method live burial is, we excavated some portions of the ground for investigation. But, what we found were pockets of cooled magma with a total of three unique signatures laced into them. The patterns and quantities of the Chakra imply that two people of Jounin caliber were likely killed by lava based attacks, and that the lava was later buried by the owner of the third signature."

With a tired sigh, Juushiro finished his report. "Other than that, we found more soot and scorch marks, as well as some evidence that arrows may have been used in the assault upon the camp. Because of this, we have reason to believe that the Enton user had later visited the campsite and destroyed anything else that he didn't want being found, including any corpses that had been in the area. We also found no tracks or scent trails. All things considered, we are most likely looking at three culprits or more who seem to have some degree of military training."

"I see," Hiruzen mused aloud, his tone a cryptic one. This did not bode well; not only was Kumo threatening war with Konoha, but now the Hokage was staring down the possibility of a team of intruders—trained intruders with bloodlines and an unknown skill level, at that! His job was _already_ stressful enough with Shoki and the Elder Council causing him so much grief! Was a little slack every now and then really too much to ask?

As if on cue, the intercom buzzed to life, signaling that Hiruzen's secretary had news for him. "Hokage-sama, Shoki-san is here to see you, again."

Damn it…

Letting out an irritated sigh, the Hokage composed himself and pushed the little red button on his desk. "Let her in."

"Oh, dear," Mikoto muttered. She, like every other member of the Three Councils, had become very familiar with that name, over the years (despite her not yet being considered to be among them). Sadly, each time the unpredictable woman popped up, it was either as a devil or a saint. The Uchiha Matriarch could only hope that the latter case held true, this time.

Yashiro and Tekka looked on, wary as to why their new clan head seemed to be so worried. While they were familiar with the name, they knew little of Shoki, herself—aside from the rumors that she was a demon or something to that effect. There were even stories floating about that claimed that she had the Hokage on a leash, among other things. It was a long shot, but perhaps they'd find out just how true some of those claims were?

While Juushiro and Hiruzen were in the same boat as Mikoto, Hiashi didn't care all that much about intentions, at the moment. Shoki's mischievous shenanigans and political meddling had yet to directly affect the Hyuuga Clan, so, as far as he was concerned, the head of said clan had had little _reason_ to care. Still, the woman in question _did_ now own the slum district, and it was common knowledge that the first assault upon the Kumo Infiltration Unit had taken place rather close to her home. That said, it wasn't too hard to picture her having something to do with that, one way or another.

A dead silence flooded the room, as all within it calmed their thoughts and eyed the door with a sense of dread or curiosity, depending on the individual. Then, like a bad horror movie cliché, the door eerily creaked open with a familiar, orange-haired woman on the other side. Her arms folded across her chest, as if to imply that the door had opened on its own, she walked in and used her ankle to seal the entrance with a light, subtle kick.

"I would've been here sooner," Shoki said, "but my district had itself a pair of… unexpected visitors. It would seem that the Hyuuga compound's security could still use some patchwork, if a six-year-old and an eight-year-old could slip out unnoticed."

Now, Hiashi cared, as did Mikoto. "Where are they?" they demanded in unison.

"Back in your compound," Shoki replied, "as for what the two heiresses were doing in the Pit, of all places… Well, if I had to guess, then I'd say that they had caught a glimpse of their little savior and wanted to thank him."

"So, you know who is behind the attacks," the Hokage's words were more of a statement than a question.

"Of course, I was the one who sent him and his little team of misfits,"

"Why?"

"An act of charity and good will?"

"Bullshit," Hiruzen deadpanned.

"You don't have to be so mean to me, old man," Shoki mock-whined. Then, she giggled. As a youko, she just couldn't resist the temptation of a good laugh. After a brief pause, though, the demonic woman's expression became a more serious one. "If you must know, Kumo's alliance with Iwa is still rather strong… stronger, now, actually, because of the Tsuchikage's actions, as of late. They both recognize this village's lingering weakness, so Kumo has agreed to harass your defenses and test you. Also, it's obvious that they have allies on the inside, because the Uchiha Massacre was instigated by them to allow the Raikage the very thing he has wanted for years."

"The Byakugan," Hiashi intoned.

Mikoto, Tekka and Yashiro were especially stricken by the implication. Was the attempted genocide of their clan really just a distraction?

"What proof do you have of this?" Hiruzen demanded, "and what about the civil war?"

"Wishing that Jiraiya hadn't gone rogue, I take it?" Shoki only smiled at the Hokage's glare. "You have Iwa to thank for the lapse in the war, for the record. It was because of the reinforcements being sent from that village that forced Kumo's rebel faction into hiding."

In hindsight, Hiruzen realized that he should've expected Shoki not to answer his first question, especially when so many people were in the room. It wasn't like her to reveal her sources, after all. With a sigh, the aged Hokage spoke again, "I take it you want something?"

"To speak with you about this incident without Juushiro and his lackeys present," the orange-haired woman replied, her tone a cryptic one.

"HEY!" the undignified retort came from Tekka.

"Very well," Hiruzen said, "Juushiro, Yashiro, Tekka. The three of you are dismissed."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Juushiro said. As the new Head of Law Enforcement obediently took his leave, Yashiro and Tekka followed—the latter grumbling to himself about smart-mouthed women with orange hair.

Once the three members of Juushiro's main team were gone, Hiashi and Mikoto looked on as Hiruzen spoke.

"So, what's this about, besides the obvious?"

"Very perceptive, old man," Shoki admitted, "as I've already explained, Iwa and Kumo are behind this whole fiasco with the heiresses of the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans, but I'm sure you'd like to know where I got this information."

Now, _that_ was unusual, especially for her. She was obviously up to something…

"Indeed," the Hokage said with a slow nod, "I found it odd that there were no survivors."

"There were no survivors _found_," Shoki corrected. With a smirk, she elaborated. "I was only interested in the Captain; the Co-Captains and their squad mates were of no importance to me."

"In other words, _you_ have him," Hiashi spoke up.

'_Why do I get the feeling that something bad is going to happen?'_ Mikoto thought.

"Yes, I do," Shoki said, "Gashira-kun is a bit roughed up, mind you, but he's alive."

"Gashira," Hiashi asked, "you mean the envoy?"

"Yes, he was the one who lead the whole operation." Shoki then turned her attention back to the Hokage. "What I want is a trade in custody; a prisoner of yours in exchange for a prisoner of mine. I'll even point you in the direction of the rebel faction's leader, as a bonus."

Hiruzen thought it over. If she was offering this much, then it was obvious that the Kyuubi wanted someone that he'd be reluctant to give her. Also, if the claims of the prison guards were true, then the Hokage needed to weigh his options more carefully now than he did in years.

On one hand, the woman that came to mind was a dangerous, unknown element. No one knew to this day how she had killed so many people and destroyed all of her cartel's records in less than an hour. While it was confirmed that she had a wind affinity, there just _had_ to be more to it than that!

On the other hand, Gashira and his team were missing, and while Shoki rarely told the whole truth, she had yet to actually lie to him—much to his surprise. Then again, she didn't need to; if Shoki didn't want to reveal a secret, she hid it and simply wouldn't tell. If she wanted something, then she would get it through extortion or an honest trade—not an empty bargain. That said, Hiruzen was looking at a chance to neutralize one hostile village and to get the other to back off. With the way his village was, the Hokage needed all the help he could get.

"What would you get out of stopping this alliance from attacking us?" Hiashi demanded, "Your so-called Pit is considered a separate entity, by order of the Lord of Fire." Why would she of all people be helping them? It was obvious that she hated the people of Konoha for how they treated her adoptive family.

"Do I honestly have to tell you?" Shoki chided, "While it is true that the Pit is no longer considered to be part of Hi no Kuni, it still resides within the walls of Konoha. Anyone who threatens the village threatens the Pit." Returning her attention to the Hokage, she asked, "so, what's it going to be?"

Considering what had been revealed about the demonic woman's intentions, Hiruzen knew that there was a possibility to negotiate something less risky on his side of the bargain. But, knowing her, it was not worth the risk, and she'd likely get what she wanted through other means, anyway. With a sigh, he asked to confirm his suspicions, "who do you want, specifically?"

Shoki giggled in amusement, before she gave her answer. It would seem that the old monkey was learning rather well.

"The woman I want is Semimaru 'Genocide' Reiko."

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><p><strong>Done!<strong>

**Sheesh, there's a lot of sighing in this chapter. If you have any advice in regards to the fight scene (or any other content), any tips and constructive criticism are welcome. I'm here to learn, just as much as I am here to entertain.**

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><p><em><strong>IMPORTANT!<strong>_

**This section covers some changes that I've made to three of the Canon elements in this Fic and the reasons behind said changes!**

**Enton**

**In regards to Enton (Blaze Release), the Canon variant will never exist in my Fics, because Sasuke is a Mary-Sue. Instead, Enton will be the newly-named version of the Fire/Wind Hybrid Element, because Fire plus Wind equals BIGGER FIRE! That said, Blaze Release sounds (to me) like a more fitting name for the Element in question than Scorch Release (assuming that everyone's suspicions are true about Shakuton being the name for the combination of Fire and Wind).**

**Genjutsu**

**Genjutsu, by Canon definition is an illusionary art that is utilized by injecting your chakra into your target to either manipulate one or more of their five senses, or to put the target into a state of hypnosis. The intrusion of foreign chakra is what activates the illusion and it causes a disruption in their chakra flow, which makes the victim of a Genjutsu easy to identify for those who can somehow detect this anomaly.**

**All in all, though, when one considers the lack of versatility and the fact that there are even entire clans (among other people) that are even immune to these Techniques , the entire art becomes terribly impractical. By Canon definition, Genjutsu in general is just too situational to be of much (if any) real use, with Tsukuyomi being the sole exception.**

**This considered, I'm adding a new Genjutsu branch to spice it up a bit. Now, in my Fics, Genjutsu users can spread their chakra over an area of effect or even coat themselves with that chakra. After doing this they can use it to manipulate their appearance or that of their surroundings. The commonly-used, Fanon Genjutsu version of Henge no Jutsu (the Art of Transformation) is a good example of such a Technique, as the Caster is described as coating his/her body in Chakra to alter his/her appearance through the illusion that is being cast.**

**As for reference, illusions that fall under the first (Canon) description will be dubbed Inner Genjutsu, while illusions that fall under the second (my) description will be dubbed Outer Genjutsu.**

**Hachimon**

**Considering how important the Eight Inner Gates seemed to be, at first, I was thinking, why are Rock Lee and Maito Gai the only things in Naruto that make them important? Kakashi was able to open one, too, but when you consider how "vital" they are to one's Chakra System, shouldn't they be more important?**

**Well, in my Fics, they will be. Anyone above the rank of Jounin will be able to open at least two or three of them as an emergency utility. Itachi, for example, has just been proven capable of opening at least two.**

**(For the record (in case this hasn't been made clear), the changes to Enton, Genjutsu, and the Hachimon will be recurring themes that will exist in all of my Fics.)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Altered and Original Technique List (All of Such Techniques Mentioned andor Used Since Chapter One)**_

_**Enton**_

**Goukaen (Grand Blaze)**

**Classes: B-Class, Long Range, Original, Attack, Hybrid Element**

**First Used By: Uzumaki Naruto**

**Summary: The caster channels his Enton Chakra into a designated location, such as the ground or the center of his palm, and creates a spark with that chakra, which then explodes in a giant, tornado-like burst of heat and flame that shoots in a single direction.**

**This technique was first used in Chapter Two, against Yoshi and Fundo's units, and is what caused the "odd blue flash" that Juushiro was referring to in this Chapter. In the Foot Note of Chapter Two, I had referred to this Technique as "Naruto's Swirling Vortex of Doom" for sake of mild humor.**

**Hidama (Fireball (not a variant of the Grand Fireball))**

**Classes: A-Class, Long Range, Original, Attack, Assassination, Hybrid Element**

**First Used By: Uzumaki Naruto**

**Summary: The caster gathers Enton Chakra into his palm and condenses it into a sphere. He then launches it into the air and steers the fireball by manipulating the air currents in its path, essentially making this projectile serve as a miniature guided missile that explodes on contact.**

**This technique was also first used in Chapter Two. Specifically, it is the technique that had killed my OC, Yoshi, along with three other Kumo Anbu that were left unnamed.**

_**Youton**_

**Yomi Shiwana (Underworld Deathtrap)**

**Classes: A-Class, Short Range, Original, Attack, Assassination, Hybrid Element**

**First Used By: Uzumaki Nariko**

**Special Requirements: Moguragakure no Jutsu, Dochuu Senkou, strong Doton Affinity**

**Summary: In conjunction with the required techniques, Moguragakure no Jutsu and Dochuu Senkou, the caster surrounds herself in a ring of lava and pulls her target down into the ground. At the same time, the lava surrounding her swirls upwards and engulfs her target.**

**The requirement for a strong Doton Affinity comes from the fact that this technique not only requires the simultaneous use of two Doton Ninjutsu, but it also requires more Earth manipulation than Fire.**

**Finally, as commented by a rather perceptive Reviewer, this technique is a lava-based adaptation of Canon's Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu (Inner Decapitation/Headhunter Jutsu). It was also inspired by it, actually. The only real difference between the techniques, in fact (at least in this Fic), is that one is strictly meant to kill, whereas the other seems to be made for the purpose of apprehending/incapacitating an enemy. For clarity, though, Nariko was the one pulling the Anbu into the ground, when this technique was first used (in her assault upon the Kumo base camp).**

_**Doton**_

**Dochuu Senkou (Underworld Submarine Voyage)**

**Classes: C-Class, Utility**

**First Used By: Uzumaki Nariko (Fic), Hoshigaki Kisame (Canon)**

**Special Requirements: Moguragakure no Jutsu**

**Summary: In conjunction with Moguragakure no Jutsu, the caster uses his/her Doton Chakra to travel beneath the surface at high speeds.**

**In this Fic, this technique was first use by Nariko so that she could travel under the surface, when she invaded the Kumo base camp. In Canon, this technique was debuted when Kisame ambushed team Gai in Naruto Shippuden. Also in Canon, this technique may not require the use of Moguragakure no Jutsu to execute. In this Fic, however, it does (obviously).**

**Iwa Fubuki (Rock Blizzard)**

**Classes: B-Class, Long Range, Area of Effect, Attack**

**First Used By: Fukutaichou Yama**

**Summary: The caster channels his Doton Chakra into the ground and calls upon the Earth, itself to attack all targets in a designated area. This assault is executed by causing large chunks of earth to dislodge from the ground and circle the designated area in mid air, presumably held aloft by the caster's chakra. These deposits of rock and dirt are then hurled at the targets from all angles, effectively stoning them to death.**

**Moguragakure no Jutsu (The Art of Hiding like a Mole)**

**Classes: C-Class, Utility, Evasion**

**First Used By: Uzumaki Nariko (Fic), Deidara (Canon)**

**Summary: Using **_**her**_** Doton Chakra, the caster sinks or dives into the ground and hides underground like a mole (as implied by the name, one might add). Using this in combination with Dochuu Senkou has been thoroughly established as a rather effective evasion/flight tactic.**

**Like she did with Dochuu Senkou, Nariko first used this technique in her assault upon the Kumo base camp in Chapter Two. Specifically, this technique was what Nariko used to avoid three of the unnamed Anbu, when they tried to converge upon her.**

**In Canon, Deidara used this technique to hide from Team Gai and Squad Seven, when they were trying to kill his ass. What his donkey ever did to them, I'll never know. Also, though it has not been confirmed to be true of false, this technique may be what Kakashi used in Canon to hide underground and set himself up to use his Shinjuu Zanshu on Sasuke during the famous bell test.**

**(Also, Deidara is a girl in this Fic, and will be in all of my Fics that she pops up in. Why? Because I feel like it, that's why!)**

_**Raiton**_

**Raigeki (Lightning Bolt) **

**Classes: A-Class, Mid Range, Original, Attack, Assassination**

**First Used by: Uchiha Mikoto**

**Summary: The caster channels and condenses a large amount of Raiton Chakra into her hands or feet and launches the attack with a forward striking motion (typically a punch or a kick). This technique was specifically designed to pierce through any defensive techniques that the target might erect.**

**It as also inspired by Azula's lightning-based attacks from Avatar: the Last Airbender (which I don't own).**

**Raijin no Te (Hand of Raijin)**

**Special Requirements: strong Raiton Affinity**

**Classes: C-Class, Short-to-Mid Range, Original, Attack**

**First Used By: Uchiha Mikoto**

**Summary: The caster channels Raiton Chakra into her palm and shoots it into the body of her target. Upon mastery of this technique, the caster can also channel Chakra Strings through the lightning and use those strings to… hurl her target into a wall or something to that effect.**

**This technique was inspired by the Sith Lightning attacks from Star Wars (which is not owned by me, either, for the record). Also, for those who are not aware, Raijin (also known as Raiden) is the Shinto God of Lightning.**

_**Non-Elemental Ninjutsu**_

**Amaterasu (Ninjutsu, Goddess of the Sun)**

**Special Requirements: Mangekyou Sharingan**

**Classes: S-Rank, Close Range, Attack, Bloodline Technique**

**First Used By: Uchiha Itachi**

**Summary: The caster channels Chakra into his gaze and launches it at his opponent. This Chakra explodes into a burst of black flames on contact. The flames of Amaterasu are said to be inextinguishable and to live for three days and three nights, before they presumably die out on their own.**

**While difficult to achieve, fast enough targets have been known to be capable of avoiding this technique (most commonly through typical evasion).**

**Edo Tensei (Impure World Resurrection)**

**Special Requirements: genetic material from one or more deceased individuals, a specialized seal array, a seal tag per summoned individual, a human sacrifice per summoned individual**

**Classes: S-Rank, Forbidden, Summoning, Utility**

**First Used By: Orochimaru (Canon)**

**Summary: The caster uses the required reagents to summon the spirit of a dead target from beyond the grave to serve as an undead minion. The seal tag serves as both an anchor and a control mechanism, keeping the spirit within the new husk and even providing the minion with a triggered ability to regenerate, when damaged. Once the target is summoned for the first time, no further sacrifices are required, unless the minion is completely destroyed.**

**Hitokugutsu (Human Puppet)**

**Special Requirements: A corpse, advanced knowledge of battle puppet crafting, advanced mastery of Kugutsu no Jutsu, advanced knowledge in chemistry, medicine, and human anatomy**

**Classes: A-Rank, Forbidden, Utility**

**First Used By: Sasori of the Red Sand (Canon)**

**Summary: Before utilizing his knowledge of puppetry to activate his new toy, the caster must obviously create it. This is done by first embalming the corpse of a deceased individual. After that process is complete, the corpse is then skinned and dismembered for assembly.**

**Contrary to popular belief, the skin is not replaced by wood, but rather tanned and curried into a hard leather shell, while the bones are coated in chakra-sensitive metal to serve as the puppet's framework. The organs aside from the brain and heart are set aside for later use, while the ones that remain are dried and converted into the control mechanism and power core, respectively.**

**Finally, the muscle and blood and the other organs are grinded, cooked with a small amount of the creator's blood and converted into a thick, purple substance that serves as a special oil which fills the puppet and allows the creator to be the only one capable of controlling the puppet as a whole. This oil also provides the puppet with the ability to use any Bloodline Techniques that it knew in life.**

**Once the basic puppet is complete, it is then customized and fitted with whatever shiny toys, fancy gadgets, and pointy objects that its creator wishes to add. Once satisfied with his handiwork, the caster needs only to channel his chakra into the puppet in order to activate it in preparation for later use and gain the memories that it had in life. The activation ritual, however, is infamously draining due to its large chakra demand and the blowback caused by the resulting rush of information.**

**(Macabre, yes? While Hitokugutsu, Sasori's arts in general, and Sasori, himself, are the property of Masashi Kishimoto, the details of the Human Puppet's creation were created and added by me. Anyone who wishes to use these added details is free to do so. But, in the event that you are using this to make a Puppet Master Naruto, then please do tell me the name of the Fic, so I can read it!)**

_**Genjutsu**_

**Meisai Gakure no Jutsu (The Art of Camouflage Concealment)**

**Classes: A-Rank, Utility, Outer Genjutsu**

**First Used By: Uzumaki Naruto (Fic)**

**Summary: The caster coats himself in a veil of chakra and bends the light around his body, effectively making him nearly invisible from far away. Due to this technique's low demand for chakra, it is harder to detect, even by Sensor Class ninja. This low demand also makes it easier to maintain while the caster is suppressing his chakra.**

**In Canon, this technique is considered a Ninjutsu, oddly enough, despite the fact that it looks like an illusion to me. Due to the changes to Genjutsu that I am implementing in my Fics (to increase the art's versatility), this technique has been changed from a Ninjutsu to a Genjutsu. Another change that I've made to this technique is one to its cosmetic appearance, so that it could be more reminiscent of the Predator's camouflage from the Predator movies (Which I don't own, either).**

**Tsukuyomi (Goddess of the Moon)**

**Special Requirements: Mangekyou Sharingan, eye contact with the target**

**Classes: S-Rank, Close Range, Attack, Inner Genjutsu, Bloodline Technique**

**First Used By: Uchiha Itachi (Canon)**

**Summary: Like with Amaterasu, the caster channels his chakra into his eyes and launches it at his target. Once applied the target experiences three days and three nights worth of torture in under a second, this torture can be physical, emotional, or psychological. In instances of physical torture, this technique has been known to be capable of killing its target through sheer pain.**

**While Tsukuyomi is the most powerful Inner Genjutsu currently known to man, it still shares the same respective weaknesses of its class. If the wave of chakra is intercepted by another, or a third party's chakra is injected into the target, the technique will be cancelled. If it is cast upon someone with a stronger will than the caster, it can also be dispelled, though achieving this is extremely difficult.**

**(Tsukuyomi, for the record is often depicted as being either male or female. In this case, though, I'm just gonna say that she's female.)**

**Some of the listed Techniques are more altered than others, while some are, indeed, original. The Original Techniques are properly labeled in the "Classes" portion of the Technique's description. If you wish to use these Techniques, you are free to do so. However, I ask that you please do tell me the name of the Fic that you do use it in, so that I can see what you are doing with it, okay?**

* * *

><p><em><strong>OTHER TRANSLATIONS<strong>_

**Fukutaichou = Co-Captain (this is Yama's rank, for the record, not his name.)**

**Mangekyou = Kaleidoscope**

**Yama = Mountain**

**Youko = Fox Demon**

* * *

><p><strong>My god, that's one hell of a Foot Note! I didn't think the Technique List would take up so much space.<strong>

**Right…**

**I'll do my best to get Chapter four up as soon as possible. I'm still debating on a few things, though, so it'll take a while. Again, Shoki's departure has been moved over to the next Chapter, due to a lot of shit that I still need to write.**

**One final thing! I have posted on my Profile some links to my Deviant Art Account and some pictures that I have posted of what Naruto and Nariko's teenaged appearances will look like in this Fic. While I honestly think that I could've done better with them, I also think they're at least decent. Another link is there to direct anyone who is not familiar with Yakuza Girl to a line art I did of Reiko, a while back.**

**Until next time!**


	4. Warning!

I regret to inform my readers that _**Silver and Gold **_and _**Twisted Bonds**_ will receive no updates on this site, due to the news we've all received about the removal of all Fics that have lemons and extreme violence. What pisses me off the most, though, is that they are doing this because the owners of Fanfiction . net don't support Fics that fall under MA, as of ten… years… ago… AND THEY'RE TELLING US THIS SHIT _NOW_?

Then again, this wouldn't piss me off so much if the quality of Adult Fanfiction . net wasn't so fucking pathetic in comparison. They don't even have a decent filter system! Do they even _have _a Beta Reader service?

Needless to say, I'm more than a little bitter…

Fortunately, I've had a profile on that site under the same name, so I guess that now's as good a time as any to dust it off, eh? See ya there!


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